Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-01-27
RAILROAD BOOM.
THREE COMPANIES SEEKING 10 GET
INTO PORTSMOUTH.
What They Promise-Annusl Meeting OF
Pickett Buchanan Camp - Physi-
clans Fined-ship on Fire.

Correspondence OF the Richmond Dispatch.I
NORFOLK, january 26, 1887.
There is n decided railroad boom
in this section. This morning at 2
o'clock the City Council of Ports
mouth finished hearing the propo-
sitions of three railroad companies
to enter the city and ask for sub
scriptions The Atlantic and Danville
made vigorous effort to get through
its application to order an election on
subscribing $3.50, 900 payable on com
pletion of the road to Jerusalem and
Hicksford, but it was STAYED of, in or
der to get the proposition direct from
the Board Of Directors of the compa-
ny. Mayor Barton Myers, of Nor
folk, appeared for the ewly-surveyed
belt road from the Western Branch
around by Pigs Point, which is to go
south under one management for
a thousand miles, and have large in
vestments from the capitalists Of Nor
folk. This company is believed to
have the Clydes at its back, and also
wants corporate subscription from
Portsmouth. The Clydes own large
space of water front just below Ports
mouth. A representative of the Chesa-
peake. Norfolk and Carolina railway
Hodges ferry also appearedand stated
that his company had proposition To
submit to the City Council, which would
be ready in thirty days, and of greater
advantage to the city than any yet pre-
sented. Both the latter-named COM
panies asked for thirty days to formu-
late their propositions The whole mat
ter, after long debate, ,'was referred to
the Finance Committee and city at
torney to investigate and report at a
meeting to be called when the report is
ready.
The annual meeting of Pickett
Buchanan Camp was held last night
and all the old officers were reelected.
The receipts from all sources were
S2, ,204. OF; disbursements, Sl,9Sl.3O;
on hand in bonds and cash, 81, 42704.
The disbursements were nearl Y oil for
relief of sick and distressed comrades
and the burial of eleven comrades.
Thirty new members joined during the
year, and there are now on the roll DDS
members The Camp gave $40 a month
relief to the totally disabled on their
sick list
Several physicians of the city were
summoned before Justice Seneca yes
terday for not reporting cases of CON
tagious diseases to the president Of the
Board of Health as the law requires.
This morning the physicians were fined
81 80 each. The health authorities are
just now manifesting considerable ac-
tiyity No new cases OF smallpox have
been developed.
The Washington steamers will leave
to-day and resume their regular trips,
the ice blockade in the Potomac having
been broken.
A fire on board the British steamship
Port Adelaide destroyed thirty-one
bales of cotton last evening, and came
near destroying the ship. The despe-
rate exertiOns of the crew and large
gangs of cOtton-screwmen' saved the
ship. The loss was about 81 800, which
was covered by insurance. The friction
of the iron bands on the bales, it is
supposed, caused the fire.
The submarine cable across Chesa-
peake bay between the capes is work
ing like charm.
Rev. John II. Hall. ID. d., of New
York, Is visiting this section.
The steamer Lucerne, just built for
the use of the United States engineer
corps located in this city, will arrive
from Baltimore this week, and will
greatly facilitate the work Of the engi-
ncers III this section.
The Clyde-Line steamship Pioneer,
while coming down James river last
night broke her shaft, and was towel
into the harbor this morning. She will
be taken to Philadelphia for repairs.
Heavy seas and stormy weather are
reported along the coast this morning.